Upcoming: Huck Finn’s America Book Party

mark_twain2

 

[Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn] is taught more than any other American classic, is often discussed either as a carefree adventure story for children or a serious novel about race relations, yet Levy argues convincingly it is neither. Instead, Huck Finn was written at a time when Americans were nervous about youth violence and “uncivilized” bad boys, and a debate was raging about education, popular culture, and responsible parenting — casting Huck’s now-celebrated “freedom” in a very different and very modern light. – From Simon and Schuster

conversations@efroymson kicks off the spring semester series with a book party celebrating the release of Andy Levy’s third book, Huck Finn’s America: Mark Twain and the Era that Shaped His Masterpiece. A favorite creative nonfiction professor in Butler’s MFA program, Levy practices what he teaches in his newest book.

Nonfiction student Susan Lerner says, “Levy uses research to show us a new way of understanding Huck Finn. In his workshop, Andy Levy taught me that creative nonfiction is supposed to do just that: expose the writer’s thinking so as to give the reader new lenses through which to look at a subject. I can’t wait to read Huck Finn’s America.

As a professor Levy challenges his students to consider what is creative nonfiction. He explains how his Huck Finn’s America, which has been called part literary theory, part history, part biography, and all persuasive, is creative nonfiction. “This book is a hybrid of creative and critical modes– there are long narrative passages, components one would link to “biography,” a couple of small pieces of memoir, and a scholarly argument with documentation particularly ascendant at the beginning and end of the book,” Levy says. “I picked and chose among the genres available to me. The book is a kind of hybrid– that’s essentially a creative act in itself.”

Already beloved and highly recommended by his students, Levy believes writing this book has only made him a better professor. He says, “It increases the range of my experiences as a writer, my knowledge of process from beginning to end.  It’s more hours working, considering writing problems, how to get out of them;  more considerations of issues of structure, style, audience.  This is also a book about a writer writing a book– a distinctive writer and a distinctive book.  I learned a lot about his process, too, and that was wonderful.”

Huck Finn’s America is gaining buzz and earning rave reviews everywhere including Publisher’s Weekly where it made the top 10 list.

NPR calls Levy’s text “a richly researched, copiously annotated, fascinating argument that in all the debates over the book’s treatment of race and despite its position as both a widely banned book and a widely assigned book, we tend to miss some of the most important things it teaches.”

Buffalo News writes, “Levy argues persuasively [and] has steered the conversation of Huck Finn in a fresh, profitable direction, toward an intensive scrutiny of its roots. … Levy’s work reminds us that a fresh reading of Huck Finn might be a key to teaching us that we should not repeat the past, that we are capable of stifling our saddest echoes.”

Dozens more positive reviews exist, but Levy keeps a bigger perspective amid the praise. “Some of [the praise] is validation, excitement.  Some of it is embarassment– if the review is really nice, I usually won’t finish reading it, and I often take a certain perverse pleasure in a bad review,” he says. “And some of it is detachment– it’s all external validation, or criticism, or indifference, and we all know from personal experience that we’re not happier if we live for that.”

 

andylevysmallThe book party is January 22nd at 7:30PM in the ECCW sunroom. It will include a brief reading, book signing, and lots of celebrating. Huck Finn’s America: Mark Twain and the Era that Shaped His Masterpiece will be available for purchase.

 

MFA Alumni Edits Book of Indy Writing Talent

 

IndyReads-Covers5Indy Writes Books: A Book Lover’s Anthology is a new collection of multiple genres written by talented and generous authors who have ties to Indianapolis’ Indy Reads Books bookstore. Among its impressive list of contributors are  Butler MFA professors Michael Dahlie, Susan Neville, and Ben H. Winters. It is edited by Butler MFA alumnus, Zachary Roth.

n39302397_30848726_2160217_400x400Zach Roth earned an MFA from Butler in 2014. He is Lumberjack Ben Affleck, copywriter, book maker, storywriter, music blogger, and swell fella. He is editor-in-chief at Axolotl magazine, copywriter and social media marketing manager at Brybelly Holdings. Although is dance card is completely filled, he graciously discussed the Indy Writes Books project with me. He can be found on twitter at @compactdiscs.

How did you get involved in the Indy Writes Books Project?

I got involved with Indy Reads through my work designing books for Pressgang [the small press associated with Butler’s MFA program]. There’s a greater vision for our Pub Lab slash Bryan [Furuness] and Rob’s [Stapleton] office space slash Pressgang HQ, one that involves connecting MFA students learning the particulars of book design with community members with good causes who need a little help designing books. Bryan hooked Andrea Boucher up with Scholastic, which she did a crazy good job with, and I was hooked up with Travis DiNicola and Indy Reads.

What is your role?

I am co-editor and interior designer for Indy Writes Books, so I basically was responsible for everything between the covers. I line-edited work, did more copyediting than I ever wish to again, I arranged all the pieces with a very imprecise alchemy in a way that I think flows nicely. I also made all the decisions on how the words themselves would look on the page, which ranged from fun activities like font and layout research, to the endless minutiae of individually adjusting the tracking between single words of paragraphs so there wouldn’t be an orphan line 4 pages later. I have so much more appreciation for a sexy book interior now (see: Booth).

Was there any anxiety about editing the work of some big names in writing?

Not really. I’ve had a good deal of interaction with other authors through Booth and Pressgang (and my lit mag, Axolotl, plug), and I felt anonymous enough that if I messed anything up, nobody would know how or where to find me. I do distinctly remember having to make a significant cut to Ben Winters’ story. It was a loose thread, but one that pervaded the first 8 pages. I was shaking in my boots, but he never commented on it when he returned his final version. Conversely, due to a copy/paste that didn’t capture line breaks, I actually messed up Mike Dahlie’s story, which he did notice, and I was thoroughly embarrassed.

What are you most proud of in the book?

Anti-climax: The table of contents. I saved that thing until last, because it was going to be disgusting. Not only did I have like six genres, I had dozens of authors, some who had several pieces that appeared peppered in throughout the text. How would I organize that in way that made sense to more people than me? How would I format and execute the design? Early renditions were super ugly, or cluttered, or long. I leaned on Booth and a copy of Unstuck that I stole from the Pub Lab lending library and have yet to return, but the rest was just two evenings spent obsessing and tinkering until my Eureka! moment. It’s a silly thing to be proud of for sure, but the ToC comes early enough in the book to leave a bad impression upon a browsing reader if it looks like hot garbage.

How were the authors selected?

Travis, with his myriad connections through Indy, did most of the author selection. I don’t know his exact plan, but his first choices were authors who appeared at Indy Reads or supported it in some measure. The book is as much a celebration of Hoosier authors as it is a tiny portion of the bookstore’s history. He also really wanted to feature every genre he could. There’s capital-L literature, meta-fiction, mystery, young adult, poetry that celebrates language, narrative, and history. There’s such great nonfiction. There’s a play. There’re puzzles. There’s an illustration and translations from Spanish. The only thing I can take a little bit of credit for is demanding Susan Neville contribute during my thesis defense. Her essay “The Dead” is incredible and I’m stoked she shared it with us.

What do you think this book says about the Indy writing scene?

That it’s not just living and breathing but thriving. If you want to come here and take part, there will be a place for you and there will be support, regardless of your mode.

What are your favorite pieces from the anthology?

The anthology introduced me to a lot of great pieces, but what I really appreciate in retrospect was that it stretched me, forced me to work intensely close with stuff way out of my aesthetic. It’s easy to form your own little echo chamber when you choose what you read.

I think everything Liza Hyatt did kicks ass. Her 4 poems are all so different in style, too. I lead off the anthology with “Household Gods” not just because it was about books, but because it was strong and (in keeping with the theme of the anthology) transformed books into timeless objects of worship. That last stanza, man. “If they survive fire and flood, they will be destroyed/ by time’s slow acid. I keep them immortal/ by spending time at their hearth, learning by heart,/ giving them to students and children,/ everyone in pain, in wonder.”

I adored the simple conceit of Ben’s “Between the Lines,” and the very dark twist it takes. It’s a fast, breezy read, and so charmingly disarming up until that point. And then his main character (and us as readers) comes to understand what Hyatt means with that last line, “everyone in pain, in wonder.”

Having had my middle school mind blown by Watchmen, I have a soft spot for superheroes, so John David Anderson’s “El Estocada” really resonated with me. It’s maybe not the most developed narrative, but the characterization is so human, for superhumans.

I love Frank Bill’s stories. They’re dark and gritty and violent and idiosyncratic with this voice that’s very clipped and fragmented in a lovely way. Dahlie’s “The Pharmacist from Jena” echoes the violence, but the effluent narrator couldn’t be more different. I think I have an unfair bias toward that story, though, because I was able to read it wholly in Mike’s voice, which makes it so much better.

I’m not much of a nonfiction guy, but as I said before, Susan Neville’s essay “The Dead” is so desperately good. Achingly good. I also found myself really appreciating Darolyn Jones’ “Sitting at the Feet of My Flanner House Elders.” It definitely draws inspiration and clarity from places you wouldn’t expect.

Did you discover a new favorite author from reading the book?

LIZA HYATT. I probably have to read more John David Anderson and Frank Bill, too.

Are you still involved in other areas of Indy Reads?

Nope. I was just the book guy. I’d definitely be open to helping them out in the future though. It’s a great cause, and Travis was so easy to work with. Very passionate. Fingers crossed that when the book sells out I’ll get tapped to do the sequel.

 

Has this interview with Zach made you realize you must own this book? You can pick up a copy of the anthology at Indy Reads Books at 911 Mass Ave or order a copy of the book here. All proceeds from Indy Writes Books support Indy Reads’ adult literacy programs in Central Indiana.

 

Want to Write More This New Year?

If your New Year’s resolution is to write more, the esteemed faculty of Butler’s MFA has advice for you.

Hilene Flanzbaum – Professor, MFA Program Director

Routine is everything. Decide when and where you will write and let nothing keep you from establishing and maintaining said routine. Nothing.

Dan Barden- Professor

danbarden1_100x150 Start today.

 

 

 

 

Ben Winters- Continuing Instructor

 DSC_1809Stop worrying about word counts and instead think about time: not “how much did I write today?” but “for how long was I engaged in the project of writing today?” Set definitive goals — be it a half hour, an hour, or four hours — and strive nobly to meet them.  The word count will take care of itself.

 

Chris Forhan- Associate Professor

chrisforhanI once heard the poet Steve Orlen exclaim, “I’m writing more than ever!  It’s no wonder:  I’ve begun a new practice of ignoring my email until I’m done writing for the day.”  My advice:  turn off the technology.  Turn away from the screen and toward the window.  And toward yourself:  pay attention not to social media but to the unsocial medium of your own mind, of yourself whispering secrets to yourself.

Want to Write More This New Year?

If your New Year’s resolution is to write more, the esteemed faculty of Butler’s MFA has advice for you.

Hilene Flanzbaum – Professor, MFA Program Director

Routine is everything. Decide when and where you will write and let nothing keep you from establishing and maintaining said routine. Nothing.

Dan Barden- Professor

danbarden1_100x150 Start today.

 

 

 

 

Ben Winters- Continuing Instructor

 DSC_1809Stop worrying about word counts and instead think about time: not “how much did I write today?” but “for how long was I engaged in the project of writing today?” Set definitive goals — be it a half hour, an hour, or four hours — and strive nobly to meet them.  The word count will take care of itself.

 

Chris Forhan- Associate Professor

chrisforhanI once heard the poet Steve Orlen exclaim, “I’m writing more than ever!  It’s no wonder:  I’ve begun a new practice of ignoring my email until I’m done writing for the day.”  My advice:  turn off the technology.  Turn away from the screen and toward the window.  And toward yourself:  pay attention not to social media but to the unsocial medium of your own mind, of yourself whispering secrets to yourself.

Butler MFA in Print

Congratulations to our many MFA students, alum, and faculty who have been recently published. Congratulations and write on!

 

Faculty

Screen Shot 2015-01-08 at 7.58.20 AMThe Possibility of Joy,” written by MFA program director and professor Hilene Flanzbaum, has been chosen for inclusion in O’s Little Book Of Happiness, an anthology of articles by the magazine’s notable contributors. The essay originally appeared in the October 2007 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. In addition, Hilene has recently published two poems. From the Midrashic sonnets, “Nehil’im” was published in the Massachusetts Review, Volume XV, no. 3, and “Sarah Speaks” was published in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, October 14, 2014.

 

Chris Speckman, MFA alum and Butler’s Writing in the Schools professor and program coordinator, has two poems, “PSA for White American Men Who Listen to Hip Hop” and “Stamina”, forthcoming in Harpur Palate 14.2. Another poem, “Elegy for J Dilla”, is forthcoming in the anthology It Was Written: Poetry Inspired by Hip-Hop, edited by Jason McCall & P. J. Williams, which will be published by Minor Arcana Press in 2016.

 

32Poems_Spring2014_Final-402x612Poetry Professor, Alessandra Lynch’s poem “Magnolia” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize by 32 magazine.

Students

Laura Kindall’s personal essay, “Inheritance” will be in the upcoming issue of The Tahoma Literary Review.

 

product_thumbnail.phpLuke Wortley’s story, “Sarah” is now available online at Pea River Journal 

 
 
 

An interview with visiting professor Alix Lambert in which she discusses her new documentary, Mentor, recently appeared in The Rumpus.

 

Susan Lerner’s personal essay, “Mac and Me” is also up at The Rumpus.

 

John Eckhart published a prose poem called “Shadowboxing” with Bareknuckle Poet.

 

Emma Hudelson has several articles printed in The Elephant Journal , including “It’s all about the Benjamins”.

 

postcard-1-1Kaveh Akbar’s blog Divedapper was highlighted at The Rumpus. He also published “The Poet and his
Postcards” at The Awl.

 
 

Zach Roth and Luke Wortley published the third issue of Axolotl Magazine.

 

Alumni

Alex Mattingly participated in a reading for IndeTale, now available at IndeTale podcast.

 

Eliza Tudor recently published a story in Chicago’s Graze Magazine.

 

Natalie Solmer’s poem “It Was Mango Season” is forthcoming in Louisville Review Spring 2015.

 

Tracy Mishkin’s chapbook, I Almost Didn’t Make It to McDonald’s, was published by Finishing Line Press in August 2014. She also took second place in the Fountain Square Masterpiece in a Day contest with her poem “Masterpiece in an Hour,” which is featured in Punchnel’s. “Portrait of My Son from Several Angles” and “Judgment Call” appeared on the blog Monday Coffee and Other Stories.

Readings, Signings, Screenings, and More

januaryevents

The Butler campus and the City of Indianapolis will keep your calendar filled with fun, unique opportunities for writers and bibliophiles. Check out these events happening this month:

 Butler MFA Events

12th- Spring Semester Classes Begin

22nd Andy Levy Faculty Reading- ECCW, 7:30 PM

Andy Levy, a favorite nonfiction professor of many Butler MFA’ers, will be kicking off the conversations@efromson with a reading and discussion of his latest book, Huck Finn’s America.

27th – Mentor Screening, Howard L. Schrott Center, 7:30

Mentor, written and directed by Butler Visiting Professor Alix Lambert, focuses on the families of Sladjana Vidovic and Eric Mohat, who sued Mentor (Ohio) High School administrators for ignoring the bullying that led to the death of their children.

31st – Butler Bridge Writing Club

Readings and Events around Indy

7th – Crystal Mason Reading – Indy Reads Books, 1-5 PM

Come meet Crystal Mason, author of Flowing Through Me, a Christian book of poetry.

10th – Benjamin J Denen reading – Indy Reads Books, 2-4 PM

Join Bejamin Denen for a reading of her book The Keeper of Edelyndia.

17th- Kate Piscopo Book Launch – Book Mamas

Kate Piscopo will be signing her book 31 Days of Irvington, History and Haunts.

21st- Lucy Corin Reading- Hammes bookstore at Notre Dame, 7:30PM

Lucy Corin is the author of the short story collection The Entire Predicament (Tin House Books) and the novel Everyday Psychokillers:  A History for Girls (FC2).  The collection One Hundred Apocalypses and Other Apocalypses was released in September 2013 from McSweeney’s Books.

28th – Meet the Artists XXVII- Indianapolis Central Library

One of the city’s most celebrated cultural events will return for its 27th annual engagement when the works of 18 locally prominent African-American artists will be on display during “Meet the Artists,” 
January 28 – March 28 at Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair Street.